(Planet Juxta, The Holding Cell, Leoâs POV)
Leo strolled to the holding cell with a wide grin stretching on his face, however, he was beyond stunned when he arrived, and observed the ongoing chaos.
He almost couldnât believe the scene unfolding before his eyes, as he stood frozen at the threshold, watching his cousin and his old friend squabbling like children in a marketplace, their voices overlapping with insults and half-challenges while the guards stumbled about in a desperate attempt to keep order, their hands raised in surrender as though they were referees caught in the middle of two beasts clawing for dominance.
*CLANG*
*Pull*
Chains rattled as Su Yang tugged against his binds, his golden eyes blazing with indignation, while Veyr leaned forward with that infuriating grin of his, egging him on like this was some tavern brawl instead of a holding cell inside the Cultâs stronghold.
"Su Yang, youâre a prisoner here, donât forget your place!"
"PLEASE LORD DRAGON, I NEED YOU TO STAY CALM"
The guards shouted over one another, trying to calm them both down, but their pleas dissolved into the chaos, until at last Leoâs voice cut through the din, sharp and unmistakable.
"What the hell is going on here?"
He demanded, his tone carrying enough weight that the room seemed to shrink around it.
Every head turned at once, the guards stiffening, Veyrâs grin freezing mid-taunt, and even Su Yang falling silent as his wrists stilled against the chains, the noise collapsing into a silence so sudden it felt unnatural, as though the walls themselves were holding their breath.
"Lord Shadow Dragon, thank the heavens youâre here... Lord Dragon is demanding to fight Su Yang, but protocol forbids us from letting him go free," one of the guards blurted, his voice carrying both relief and desperation, as Leoâs gaze snapped toward Veyr, as he gave him a glare so sharp that his cousin instinctively shrank back in his chair.
"Why do you want to fight him?" Leo asked evenly, one brow lifting as though the very question itself was ridiculous, as Veyr immediately stumbled over his words.
"Iâ I, he started it! He thinks he can take me on anytime, any day, and he called me âsonâ like Iâm some punk kid. Iâm not a punk, Iâll own his ass if we fight," Veyr muttered defensively, his pride stung as he pointed at Su Yang, who looked like he could not believe what he had just heard.
"Skyshard, I swear itâs HIM who started it," Su Yang fired back, his golden eyes flaring as he tugged once against his chains. "And on top of that, he thinks winning the Circuits twice is some easy thing. Like, what? Winning the Circuits is a massive achievement! Tell him that!"
Leo pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose, inhaling slowly before exhaling a long, weary sigh, his expression falling into one of utter disappointment as his gaze swept across both of them.
"Seriously? This is how the Lord Dragon of the Cult carries himself?" he said at last, his voice calm yet razor-edged, each word landing with the sting of a whip. "Like a five-year-old with no self-restraint?"
Veyr wilted instantly under the rebuke, his grin long gone as his head dropped low in shame.
For a brief moment, Su Yang chuckled, savoring the sight of Veyr being dressed down, but Leoâs eyes cut to him next, and the amusement froze on his lips.
"And you..." Leo said slowly, his voice suddenly heavier. "Youâre the young master of the Su Clan, heir to your Patriarch. Show some damn class."
The reprimand was just as sharp, and Su Yang too found himself bowing his head, his earlier arrogance dissolving into silence beneath Leoâs gaze.
"Youâre both too old to be behaving like children, so calm down, say youâre sorry, and make up." Leo demanded, as Veyr immediately complied.
"Iâm sorryâ" the Dragon said, as Su Yang repeated the words immediately.
"Iâm sorry as well," he said, as Leo gave an approving nod to both, before gesturing for the guards to take their leave.
"Donât worry, Iâve got this now..." Leo assured, as the guards quietly thanked him before moving out the door.
*Thud*
The silence returned to the room once the heavy metal door was sealed shut, as Leo folded his arms and cast a glance towards Su Yang, his demeanor colder than what he initially planned.
"So..... why are you here?"
He asked, as Su Yang frowned at the directness of the question.
He had expected a warmer welcome, since the two of them were seeing each other after such a long time, however, his previous fight seemed to have ruined that.
"What? You arenât even going to say youâre happy to see me or something?
Jumping straight to business?" He protested, as Veyr immediately snickered from across the table.
"What are you? His girlfriend?" Veyr mocked, as one could see on his face that he could not resist the temptation of throwing that jab.
However, as a result of his little stunt, Leo immediately shot him a warning glare that said âBehave or Iâll throw you out tooâ, as he suddenly became interested in doodling his thumbs.
*Sigh*
Letting out a deep sigh, Leo looked at Su Yang again, as he unfolded his arms and let out a big smile.
"Hey man, of-course Iâm happy to see you.... Itâs been so long." He said, as he placed his own palm in Su Yangâs shackled hands for a firm handshake.
"The second year at the Academy wasnât the same without you..... Mu Shen and Mu Ryan missed you too, but everyone else hated you.
We werenât allowed to even say your name.
Everyone felt like you betrayed us...." Su Yang expressed, as Leo felt his face contort slightly at the bitter-sweet memories.
He had no deep attachment to Mu Shen or Mu Ryan, but it was good to know that they missed him too.
Perhaps, he was truer friend to them than he had thought.